Despite playing with a broken left pinkie, Elston Turner scored 22 and the Texas A&M Aggies beat Auburn 71-62 Wednesday night in their first Southeastern Conference tournament game. Mizzou will face A&M for the second time this season. The game will tip at 9 p.m. Alex Caruso added 14 points, and Kourtney Roberson and Fabyon Harris had 11 apiece for Texas A&M.
The Auburn Tigers (9-23) wrap up the season losing their last 10 games and now have lost 11 straight in Nashville. Coach Tony Barbee has yet to win a tournament game in his first three trips.
In the other SEC game, 12th seeded South Carolina lost to 13th seeded Mississippi State 70-59. The Bulldogs have won three of their last four games, after losing 13 straight. Colin Borchert and Roquez Johnson scored 11 points apiece for Mississippi State. Bruce Ellington scored 13 points and Laimonas Chatkevicius matched a career high with 11 points for South Carolina, which has lost five of its last six.
Mizzou coach Frank Haith, Laurence Bowers, and Phil Pressey met with the media in Nashville yesterday afternoon to discuss their opening round matchup.